This invention relates to an insulated concrete wall and the ability to readily and reliably mount fixtures, such as curtain rod brackets and the like, to a surface of an interior wall of a building, and more particularly, the invention relates to an anchor plate and method of assembling a wall with an anchor plate which functions to positively engage fixture mounting fasteners driven through the wall thereby enabling fixtures to be drawn into tight engagement with the surface of the wall.
It is known to utilize concrete as a building material for above and/or below grade walls of building structures, such as residential buildings, thereby providing an alternative to traditional wood-framed structures. Several different building techniques can be utilized to construct a concrete house or building structure and may include the use of insulated concrete forms, concrete masonry units, autoclaved aerated concrete, or cast-in-place concrete walls made from removable forms. Regardless of the technique utilized to form the wall, at least one layer of a rigid foam insulation is present to insulate the concrete building structure.
For example, insulated concrete forms are rigid plastic foam forms that are filled with reinforced concrete to create structural walls. The forms are typically pre-formed interlocking blocks or separate panels connected with plastic ties. Concrete is poured into the forms and is permitted to cure. The forms remain in place on the cured concrete walls providing a continuous layer of insulation on both the interior and exterior surfaces of the concrete wall. The rigid foam insulation layer on the interior surface of the concrete wall provides a backing for wallboard, such as drywall, which forms the surface of an interior wall of the building. The rigid foam insulating forms are typically made of expanded polystyrene, extruded polystyrene, polyurethane, or a cement-foam composite.
Another example of an insulated concrete wall is provided by the use of pre-formed panels of rigid foam insulation which are applied to existing concrete or masonry walls. For example, a panel of a rigid foam insulation made of extruded polystyrene is sold under the trademark FOAMULAR INSULPINK as a basement wall insulation product. The rigid foam insulation panel is installed on the concrete or masonry basement wall surface facing the interior of the building and drywall is then applied directly over the rigid foam insulation panels.
Regardless of the building technique, one problem presented by an insulated concrete wall is that it is difficult to readily attach fixtures, such as curtain rod brackets and the like, on the wall in a manner which will resist disconnection from the wall. For example, the wallboard and rigid foam insulation to which a fixture mounting fastener, such as a screw or the like, is driven does not provide a surface which positively engages the fastener and prevents it from being pulled out of the wall.
Various anchor devices utilized for various purposes in building structures are known. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,506 issued to Wakai discloses a metal anchor plate for mounting a screw to an existing plasterboard wall. The anchor plate according to the Wakai patent is driven through an existing plasterboard wall and is then pulled flush against the rear surface of the wall by an integral front element which is tethered to the anchor plate. Thus, a fastener, such as a screw, is then mounted to the wall and held in place by the perforated anchor plate.
Other examples of anchor plates or metal plates in general are provided by U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,629 issued to Barnes; U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,953 issued to Meola; U.S. Pat. No. 2,733,036 issued to Meletio; U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,603 issued to Chiodo; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,281,168 issued to Dufficy. The Barnes patent discloses a metal anchor plate having barbs which penetrate into a surface of a wall so that the anchor plate can be utilized as a hanger for supporting articles from the wall. The Meola patent discloses the use of an L-shaped metal corner bracket which is installed adjacent the corners of windows and doorways to prevent drywall cracking. The Meletio patent discloses an anchor plate for an electrical fixture mounted on an opposite side of an exterior brick wall. The Chiodo patent discloses an anchor device which has barbed projections which are imbedded in a top surface of a concrete wall and which has an exterior anchor plate for securing a structural member thereto. Finally, the Dufficy patent discloses a perforated truss connector plate.
While the aforementioned anchor devices, connector plates, insulated concrete wall assemblies, and methods of assembling insulated concrete walls may be satisfactory for their intended purposes, there is a need for a novel anchorage device, wall assembly, and method of wall assembly which enables secure attachment of fixtures and the like to an assembled insulated concrete wall. Preferably, the device is inexpensive to manufacture and its installation does not significantly add to the time or skill required to assemble a concrete wall.
Therefore, the principal object of this invention is to provide an insulated wall assembly to which a curtain rod bracket, or like fixture, can be readily mounted with a typical fixture mounting fastener. It is also an object to provide a method of assembling an insulated concrete wall which is reinforced at selected locations enabling curtain rod brackets and like fixtures to be reliably mounted to the wall.
The invention addresses the foregoing objects by providing an anchor plate for use within an insulated concrete wall of a building structure. The wall includes a layer of rigid foam insulation sandwiched between a concrete wall and wallboard which forms a surface of an interior wall of the building structure. The anchor plate is a substantially planar metal plate having a plurality of openings extending transversely therethrough and a plurality of securement projections extending transversely therefrom. The securement projections are formed as an integral part of the plate and are bent to extend transversely from the planar plate. In use, the securement projections secure the anchor plate to a selected area of the rigid foam insulation. The openings in the anchor plate are of a size to receive and positively engage a fastener which extends through the wallboard and the anchor plate thereby permitting a fixture to be drawn into tight engagement with the wallboard by the positive engagement of the fastener with the anchor plate. Preferably, the anchor plate is an expanded metal plate having an outer periphery with a plurality of corners which are bent to form securement projections.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method of assembling an insulated concrete wall having a layer of foam insulation on an interior-facing surface of a concrete wall is provided. The method includes attaching at least one anchor plate at a pre-selected location on the foam insulation, and thereafter, installing wallboard over the foam insulation such that the foam insulation is sandwiched between the concrete wall and the wallboard. The anchor plate has openings of a size to receive and positively engage a fixture mounting fastener which extends through the wallboard and the anchor plate thereby permitting a fixture to be drawn into tight engagement with the wallboard by the positive engagement of the fixture mounting fastener with the anchor plate embedded within the wall. Preferably, the anchor plate has securement projections and is attached to the rigid foam insulation by being pressed against the rigid foam insulation such that the securement projections penetrate within the insulation. In addition, preferably the anchor plate covers only a small fraction of the total surface area of the foam insulation and is located in the wall corresponding to the placement of a fixture to be installed on the wallboard. Preferably, the pre-selected location is adjacent a corner of a window and/or door constructed in the wall.